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Reprieve for ‘risky’ Parkinson’s drug

By Peter Aldhous

THE first thing his family noticed was the return of his smile. Having earlier watched Robert Suthers’s face turn into the “Parkinson’s mask” as his facial muscles became less responsive, this was a hopeful sign. GDNF, or glial-derived neurotrophic factor, the experimental drug he was taking to treat his Parkinson’s disease, appeared to be working.

But in September 2004, after Suthers had been on the drug for just five months, it was controversially withdrawn because of safety fears. Amgen, the biotech giant running the trial that included Suthers, became concerned that high doses of GDNF might damage …